To be eligible for the scholarships that vary in amount between $1,500 and $3,000, students had to have graduated from an Indiana high school, and they must be attending an Indiana college or university and be participating in its aviation program. Students were also required to have better-than-average grades and to be active in their communities with extra-curricular activities or employment.

Maria Muia, scholarship chairperson and a member of the board of directors for the Aviation Association of Indiana scholarship fund, said it speaks well of ISU that so many of its students have been honored.

"These students are the future of the industry in our state," Muia said. "We need the smartest people we can produce for the prosperity of our industry ... and these are five of them."

Muia said the students' accomplishments in and out of the classroom made them quality recipients of the scholarships.

Barry, a senior from Indianapolis who graduated from Warren Central High School, is president of the ISU student chapter of American Association of Airport Executives and is a member of Alpha Eta Rho and the hot air ballooning club.

Bright, a senior from Nashville who graduated from Brown County High School, is pursuing a degree in professional flight technology at ISU. Bright's excellent GPA earned him a position on the dean's list at ISU in 2007, 2008, and 2009.

Campbell, ISU's top aviation student of the 2008-2009 school year and a presidential scholar, is a senior and a South Spencer High School graduate from Grandview whose father encouraged her to study aviation.

Hill, a junior who graduated from Crown Point High School in Crown Point, is a Blumberg Hall resident assistant who also works as a store manager. He aspires to be an airport manager or work for the management team of an airline.

And Kiel, a senior who graduated from Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis, has earned a place on dean's list every semester since he enrolled at ISU. He has worked since the age of 15 at grocery stores, electronic stores, and at a tennis center. His dad introduced him to the field of aviation.

ISU aviation technology Associate Professor Troy Allen, who nominated the students for the scholarships, said all of them are academically strong and are an asset to the program.

"There's not a weak link in this group of students," he said. "All of them are very deserving."

Allen said the scholarships enable the aviation students to pay for extra expenses like flight training that can increase the cost of an undergraduate degree by as much as $45,000.

In addition to providing scholarships for college students, the Aviation Association of Indiana provides the aviation industry with a forum for sharing common experiences through its alliance of industry professionals.

The group advocates aviation interests throughout the state and provides input to state legislators about critical aviation issues.

Contact: Troy Allen, associate professor of aviation technology, College of Technology, Indiana State University at 812-237-2660, or rallen10@isugw.indstate.edu.

Writer: Rachel Wedding McClelland, assistant director of media relations, Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University at 812-237-3790 or rachel.mcclelland@indstate.edu.

Story Highlights

The Aviation Association of Indiana has honored ISU students Sean Barry, Jason Bright, Jessica Campbell, Corey Hill and Zachary Kiel with scholarships for their academic achievements and their community involvement.